Continuous rail straightening press



1967 N. F, CLAYBORNE ETAL 3,295,350

CONTINUOUS RAIL STRAIGHTENING PRESS Filed March 11, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS NORMA/V F. CLA VBORNE MAX E. KERNS W/LL MM E. HAML ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 N. F. CLAYBORNE ETAL CONTINUOUS RAIL STRAIGHTENING PRESS G La 4 Sheets$heet Filed March 11, 1964 INVENTORS NORMA/V F. ('LAVBORNE MAX E. KER/VS W/LL/AM E. HAML /A/ @JZW 4L 8 ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 N. F. CLAYBORNE ETAL 3,295,350

CONTINUOUS RAIL STRAIGHTENING PRESS Filed March 11, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet L gr' 5 INVENTORS NORM/4N F. CLAVBORNE MAX 5. KER/VS W/LL/AM E. HAML/A/ L ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 N. F. CLAYBORNE ETAL 3,295,350

CONTINUOUS RAIL STRAIGHTENING PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 11, 1964 & whwm United States Patent CONTINUOUS RAIL sTRAronTENrNG PRESS Norman F. Clayhorne, Monticello, Ind., Max E. Kerns,

Greenwich, Conn, and William E. Hamlin, Jackson,

Mich., assignors to Railway Automation Maintenance Specialties Company, Jackson, Mich.

Filed Mar. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 351,029 13 Claims. (Cl. 72-309) The invention pertains to a bending press for elongated members, and particularly relates to a press capable of straightening railroad rails by a bending operation.

Railroad companies are currently in the process of converting railways formed of conventional length rails to rails of considerable length, commonly known as welded rail. Welded rails are formed in lengths up to onequarter of a mile or more and have the advantage of eliminating the majority of the joints necessary with conventional railbed constructions. Welded rail railways, therefore, provide a smoother and quieter ride than conventional rail railways. The normal method of manufacture of continuous welded rail lengths is to butt weld conventional rail lengths together in end-to-end relationship. The rail lengths employed in forming welded rails are usually those which have been removed from a conventional railway and, thus, it is not uncommon to find that many of the rail lengths are slightly bent and of a nonlinear configuration. While slight deformities in conventional rail lengths are not a serious problem, such deformities are highly objectionable in a welded rail arrangement due to the considerable length of the welded rail. capable of bending and straightening railroad rails and may be used in the manufacture of welded rail lengths.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a rail straightening press which may be employed with rails The invention pertains to a bending press which is or other elongated members of great length and, if desired may be included asa fabrication step in the manufacture of welded rails.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail straightening press of relative economical manufacture, wherein the press is capable of straightening the rail regardless of the transverse direction to the raillength in which a bend is required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail straightening press for use with welded rail, wherein the press may be movably mounted and'may be included as an operational step in the manufacture of welded rail.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a rail straightening press including a power actuator for forming the bend wherein a single power actuator is capable of straightening a rail regardless of the direction of the bend occurring therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail straightening press wherein the rail is supported at spaced locations during the bending operation by a plurality of holding means shiftable between operative and inoperative positions, and actuating means are provided for the holding means whereby the holding means may be actuated simultaneously from a common actuator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail straightening press capable of removing bends from rails occurring near the end of the rail, or adjacent a welded rail joint.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail straightening press which may be accurately operated with a minimum of skill and wherein the amount of bend produced by the press may be determined as the bend occurs.

These and other objects of the invention arising from the arrangement and relationship of the details of the components of embodiments thereof will be apparent "ice from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rail straightening press in accord with the invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the rear end of a press in accord with the invention,

FIG. 3 is an elevational, sectional view of a press in accord with the invention, as taken along section IIIIII of FIG. 4,

FIG. 4 is an elevational, sectional side view of the press in accord with the invention with the back-up means for the power actuator nearest the viewer being removed,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, detail view of the holding means mounted on the front support member of the press, illustrating the holding means actuator expansible motors, the expansible motor furtherest from the viewer being shown in the extended or operative condition,

FIG. 6 is a detail, elevational, sectional view of the intermediate holding means support mounting structure, as taken along section VI-VI of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 of an embodiment of the invention wherein two holding means support members are illustrated as mounted on the frame on each side of the movable holding means support whereby rails may be supported at two locations on a common side of the movable holding means for straightening rails adjacent their ends or a welded joint, and

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the gauging apparatus for determining the amount of transverse rail movement occurring during the bending operation.

The general appearance of a bending press in accord with the invention will be best appreciated from FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The press includes a substantially rectangular frame member 10 which is preferably mounted on wheels 12 of the flanged railroad type whereby the frame may be movabiy mounted on a standard gauge track defined by rails 14. The frame 10 supports a pair of parallel spaced supporting member plates 16 and 18 which are perpen dicularly disposed to the longitudinal length of the frame 10 and the rails 14 on which the frame is mounted. The supporting member plates 16 and 18 are of such a configuration as to permit four :heavy back-up members 20 to be interposed therebetween. The back-up members 2i) are arranged in a uniform spaced relationship about the center of the members 16 and 18, as will be apparent from FIG. 2, and each may be formed from .a plurality of railroad rails 22, FIG. 3, mounted within openings 24 defined in the support member plates 16 and 18.

The supporting member plates 16 and 18 are each provided with a centrally disposed rectangular opening 26 defined therein through which the rail 28 to be straightened is inserted. Each of the openings 26 has a pair of rail-holding or clamping segments 30 slidably mounted within their respective openings. The segmentsfitl are each provided with a contoured recess 32 shaped to con- ;form to one-half of the vertical configuration of a rail whereby the recesses of a segment pair substantially define the transverse cross-sectional configuration of a rail and, thus, are capable of closely gripping a rail therebetween. Guide plates 34, attached both to the outer surfaces 36 and the inner surfaces 38 of the supporting member plates 16 and 18, maintain the rail-holding segments 30 within their openings and yet permit them to slide transversely to the direction of the length of a rail 28 being held thereby.

Actuation of the rail-holding segments '30 is achieved by a pair of wedge plates 40 having wedge surfaces 42 defined thereon. A wedge plate is located between the rear surface 44 of each segment 30 and the sides 46 of the associated opening. The wedge plates are capable of longitudinal movement in a direction parallel to that of 3 the rail 28 and, as the wedge surfaces 42 directly engage the segments 30, the spacing between the segments 30 of'each pair will be determined by the relationship of the wedge plates to the associated segments in a direction parallel to that of the rail 28.

As best shown in FIG. 5, an expansible motor 48 is attached to the outer surface 36 of the support member 18 on each side of its associated opening 26 and maintained in position by braces 50. The expansible motors 48 include cylinders 52 and pistons 54. The pistons 54 are operatively connected to the adjacent wedge plates 40 by extensions 55. As shown in FIG. wherein prime numerals are used, in this figure only, to distinguish between similar components, the wedge plate 40 is in the extended or operative position wherein the segment 30 contacted by the wedge surfaces 42 Will be moved to its closed position toward the other rail-holding segment 30. The wedge plate 40' is shown in the open position before the piston 54' is extended. In actual operation both expansible motors 48 are operated simultaneously, whereby the movement of the segments 30 and 30' toward each other to the operative rail-holding position is simultaneous and, likewise, retracting of the pistons 54 and 54 of the motors 48 is simultaneous, whereby the segments will simultaneously retract from the rail 28 being clamped. The holding means located in the plates 16 and 18 are identical, and the wedge plates mounted within the support plate opening 26 of plate 16 are also actuated by the expansible motors 48, as will be later described.

A pair of supporting plates 56 and 56' are mounted on the "frame intermediate the primary supporting member plates 16 and 18. The plates 56 and 56' have a central opening and each support a plurality of rotatably mounted guide wheels 58, eight in the illustrated embodiment, mounted on the inside opposed faces thereof. The wheels '58 are rotatably mounted on shafts 60 and have an annular V-type groove defined in the periphery, FIG. 4, whereby the wheels 58 of a common plate serve to rotatably support an annular element 62 thereon. The elements 62 are provided with an outer beveled edge 64, FIG. 4, which is received within the grooves of the wheels 58 and, thus, as the peripheries of the elements 62 are circular, it will be appreciated that the elements 62 are capable of freely rotating on their associated supporting plate 56 or 56. The element 62 mounted on the plate 56 is provided with a chain sprocket, not shown, associating with a chain '66, FIG. 4, driven by a motor 68, whereby the element may be rotated upon energization of the motor. I

A pair of spaced supporting bars 70, FIGS. 3 and 4, are interposed between the annular elements 62 and serve to support a power actuated member generally indicated at 72. In the disclosed embodiment, the power actuated element 72 is in the form of an expansible motor having a cylinder 74 and a piston 76. The cylinder 74 is provided with a rear head 78 having a convex, cylindrical surface 80 defined thereon. The outer end of the piston 76 is provided with a concave, cylindrical surface 82, the purpose of which will be later apparent. In direct diametrical opposition to the power actuator 72, a counterweight '84 is mounted upon and between the elements 62 by a pair of support rods 86, FIGS. 3 and 4. The counterweight 84 serves to counterbalance the power actuator 72, whereby rotation of the elements 62, power actuator 72, and counterweight 84 may be easily accomplished by the motor 68. It is to be understood that when a rail 28 is inserted through the openings 26 defined in the support members 68 and 18 and clamped within the holding segments 30 thereof, the center of rotation of the elements 62 occurs at the center of the rail 28 extending through the opening defined in the annular elements 62.

The bending of the rail 28 occurs intermediate the support members 68 and 18, and is accomplished by use of a floatably mounted rail-holding means which may be transversely displaced with respect to the longitudinal length of the rail 28 by the power actuator member 72. This structure includes an annular disc-like member hereinafter referred to as the intermediate holding means support 88. The intermediate holding means support 88 is of an annular configuration having an outer cylindrical surface 90 defined thereon. Internally, the support 88 is formed with a rectangular opening 92 in which a pair of rail-holding segments 94 are slidably positioned by means of retainers 96 afiixed to the sides of the support 88. Wedge plates 98 slidably extend through opening 92 on opposite sides of the segments 94 and include wedge surfaces 100, FIG. 3, for actuating the segments between operative and inoperative rail clamping positions. The rail-holding means of the intermediate support 88 is identical to that previously described with regard to the rail-holding means of the plates 16 and 18. The wedge plates 40 and 98 of the rail-holding means are interconnected by universally linked bars 102, FIG. 4, whereby movement of the wedge plates adjacent motors 48 will simultaneously translate the wedge plates 98 and the Wedge plates 40 associated with support 16 and, thus, produce simultaneous motion at all of the rail-holding means, whereby all of the holding means may be simultaneously shifted between the operative and inoperative positions.

The floatable mounting of the intermediate holding means support 88 is achieved by four support rods 104 on which the intermediate support 88 is mounted. The rods 104 terminate short of the support plates 16 and 18 and are mounted at their ends within rectangular frames 106, FIG. 6. A U-shaped bracket 108 is attached to each of the inner surface walls 38 of the support members 16 and 18 symmetrical to the associated opening 26 defined therein. A plurality of spring biased plungers 110 are mounted on the U-shaped brackets 108 adapted to engage the associated frame 106. The plungers 110 include housings 112 in which springs 114 are located, one being shown in the broken line portion of FIG. 6, to bias the plungers 110 toward the adjacent opening 26. As the frames 106 are solely supported by the spring plungers 110, it will be appreciated that the intermediate holding means support 88 is floatably mounted for movement in any direction transverse to the length of the rail 28 mounted within the rail-holding means 30 and 94.

Due to the rotatable mounting of the annular elements 62, the power actuated member 72 may be rotated about the intermediate support 88 in a plane perpendicularly disposed to the length of the rail 28 mounted within the holding means, and each of the back-up members 20 is provided with a centrally located pillow block 116 having a concave, cylindrical surface 118 defined therein. The surface 118 of the pillow blocks 116 is complementary in its cylindrical configuration to the surface defined on the rear head of the cylinder 74, and the spacing between these surfaces, when in adjacent relationship, is very small. The power actuator 72 is adapted to be located adjacent any one of the four pillow blocks 116, and to properly locate the power actuator, with respect to the desired pillow block, four index holes 120 are defined in the element 62 located adjacent the plate 56, FIG. 3. An axially shiftable index rod 122 is mounted within the support member 18 and the plate 56, having a knob 124, FIG. 1, permitting the rod to the inserted into one of the index holes 120 upon alignment therewith, and thereby properly position the power actuator 72 prior to performing a bending operation.

To determine the amount of bend being produced during a bending operation, gauge means are preferably provided to sense the transverse displacement of the intermediate holding means support 88. Such gauging means may take the form of a hydraulic servo system, including a piston 126 mounted on the counterweight 84 and engaging the support cylindrical surface in diametrical opposition to the power actuator 72. The cylinder 128 is hydraulically interconnected to a gauge cylinder 130,

whereby the piston 132 thereof functions to rotate gauge indicator 134 to indicate the amount of transverse displacement of the intermediate support 88. The indicator 134 is preferably mounted on the member 18 for observation by the operator.

Preferably, to facilitate movement of the rail 28 through the press, rollers 136 are mounted on each end of the frame upon pedestals. Also, small rollers 138 are mounted on piston elements of expansible motors 140 affixed to the support plates 16 and 18 immediately below the openings 26 defined therein for raising the rail 28 from the rollers 136 and from the supporting surfaces of the rail-holding segment recesses 32. The motors 140 will be actuated to slightly elevate the rail 28 when the rail is being longitudinally moved through the press and the holding means are in the inoperative or open" position. Guide rollers 142, FIG. 4, are also mounted on the support plates 16 and 18 for cooperation with the wedge plates 40 and wedge plate extensions 55 to help support the wedge plates and eliminate binding of the wedge plates during their actuating movements.

The operating mechanism for the illustrated press embodiment may be mounted within housings 144 mounted on the frame 10. Such mechanism may be of a conventional nature, including an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump. Preferably, the motor 68 is of the hydraulic type and a hydraulic motor 146 may be drivingly connected to a pair of wheels 12 to selectively move the frame 10 on the rails 14. Conventional piping, not shown, connects the exp'ansible motors 48, 72, and 140 with the hydraulic system of the press and conventional valve means are used to selectively control operation of the expansible motors. A pressure gauge 148 is connected to the fluid system supplying pressure to the cylinder 74, whereby the pressure within the cylinder will be moving through the press, the motors 140 will be pres surized to raise the rollers 138 into engagement with the bottom surface of the rail 28 and the wedge plates 48 and 98 will be in their inoperative position, whereby the segments 30 and 94 will be retracted to their open relationship. After movement of the rail has ceased and during the next welding and grinding operation, while the rail is stationary, the operator will energize the motor 146 to position the press relative to the rail 28 so that any bend which occurs in the rail will be located within the recess of the segments 94 of the intermediate support holding means 88. The expansible motors 140 will then be retracted, and simultaneously the motors 48 will be pressurized to actuate the wedge plates 40 and 98 to close the rail-holding segments 30 and 94 on the rail, and thereby tightly grip the rail. It will, therefore, be appreciated that at this stage the rail will be fixed to the support plates 16 and 18 and also rigidly affixed to the intermediate support member 88. The motor 68 is then energized to rotate the elements 62 to the position which, upon energizing the power actuator 72, will produce movement of the intermediate support member in the direction to remove the bend occurring in the rail 28. In FIG. 3 the power actuator position is shown in full lines which will remove a bend which occurs in the upward direction. The power actuator 72 is shown in FIG. 3 in dotted lines in a position which will remove a bend which deflects the intermediate support 88 to the left. Prior to energization of the motor 68, the operator will retract the index rod 122 from the associated hole 120 6 to permit rotation of the elements 62. When the elements 62 are rotated to position the power actuator adjacent any one of the four pillow blocks 116, the index rod 122 will be reinserted into the aligned hole and the actuator 72 will be energized with pressurized fluid. The pressurized fluid within the cylinder 74 will extend the piston 76 to transversely displace the intermediate support 88 with respect to the length of the rail 28. Surficient transverse displacement of the intermediate support 88 is produced which will remove the bend from the rail. During the bending operation the reaction on the piston 76 is transmitted directly to the associated pillow block 116, due to the engagement of the surfaces 80 and 118 and, thus, no reaction is directly imposed on the elements 62. Engagement of the surfaces 80 and 118 is permitted by the fact that sufficient tolerance is provided between the elements 62 and the guide wheels 58 to permit the elements 62 to slightly translate transversely to achieve the engagement of these surfaces. As the intermediate support 88 is transversely displaced during bending, the degree of bending will be indicated by the indicator 134.

It will be understood that the transverse displacement of the intermediate support member 88 is permitted by the floating support produced by the spring plungers 110. The bars 182 interconnecting wedge plates 40 and 98 are provided with suitable means to insure that the transverse displacement of the intermediate support 88 does not affect the position of the Wedge plates relative to their associated rail-holding segments during bending.

After the desired degree of rail bending; is achieved, the pressure within the actuator 72 is relieved and the piston 76 is retracted. The motors 48 are simultaneously actuated to release the rail from the holding means, and the rail is slightly raised by the motors to permit it to be longitudinally translated through the pressfor the next bending procedure. If the rail should be bent in such a direction that a single stroke of the expansible motor piston 76 will not remove the bend, it will be necessary for the operator to reposition the power actuator 72 after the first bend and again transversely displace the intermediate support. For instance, if the rail is overbent during the straightening procedure, the elements 62 must be rotated 180 from that during the bending operation to rebend the rail in the opposite direction.

Another embodiment of a bending press employing the concept of the invention is shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment the press is capable of making bends adjacent lies in the fact that additional support member plates and 152 are located on each side of the intermediate rail-holding support 88', whereby the rail 28' being straightened is supported relative to the press at two locations relative to the frame on each side of support 88 and, thus, the rail can be supported in cantilever fashion to the frame with respect to the movable intermediate holding means support. This embodiment permits a bend to be produced closer to the end of a rail than the previously described embodiment The support member plates 150 and 152 are mounted on the frame 10 between the support members 16 and'18', respectively, and the intermediate holding means support 88. The support means 150 and 152 are both provided with a rectangular opening for receiving rail-holding segments, not shown, which are identical to those previously described. Wedge plates 154 and 156 are associated with the rail-holding segments of the support members 150 and 152, respectively, permitting the associated segments to be shifted between the operative and inoperative positions. It will be noted that the five wedge plates associated with each expansible motor 48, FIG. 7, are inter- 7 connected by linkages 158 for simultaneous operation. In this embodiment the brackets 108 are mounted on the support members 150 and 152, in that these support members are closest to the intermediate support 88'. The press embodiment of FIG. 7 is employed in a manner identical to that described above with regard to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6. It is to be noted that the back-up members 20' are attached to and supported by all four of the support member plates.

It is appreciated that modifications to the invention which do not depart from the spirit and scope thereof may be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is the intention that the invention be defined only by the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A bending press for elongated members comprising, in combination,

(a) a frame including a pair of spaced support members,

(b) supporting means for the elongated member to be bent defined on said support members,

(c) intermediate supporting means interposed between said support members adapted to engage the elongated member to be bent intermediate said supporting means,

(d) means supporting said intermediate supporting means for movement transverse to the length of a member to be bent supported upon said supporting means,

(e) power actuated means disposed adjacent said intermediate supporting means adapted to transversely displace said intermediate supporting means, and

(f) means mounting said power actuated means for movement about said intermediate supporting means whereby the direction of transverse displacement of said intermediate supporting means by said power actuated means may be varied.

2. A bending press for elongated members comprising,

in combination,

(a) a frame,

(b) a pair of spaced supporting members mounted upon said frame,

(c) supporting means for the elongated member to be bent defined on said support members,

((1) intermediate supporting means interposed between said support members adapted to engage the elongated member to be bent intermediate said supporting means,

(e) means supporting said intermediate supporting means on said frame for movement transverse to the length of a member to be bent supported upon said supporting means,

(f) linearly movable power actuated means mounted on said frame and disposed adjacent said intermediate supporting means adapted to transversely displace said intermediate supporting means, and

(g) means mounting said power actuated means for rotational movement about said intermediate supporting means whereby the direction of transverse displacement of said inter-mediate supporting means by said power actuated means may be varied.

3. In a bending press as in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said means supporting said intermediate supporting means comprising springs mounted on said frame wherein said intermediate supporting means is resiliently floatably mounted upon said frame.

4. A bending press for elongated members comprising,

in combination,

(a) a frame,

(b) a pair of spaced supporting members mounted upon said frame,

(c) first holding means for the elongated member to be bent mounted upon each of said supporting members, said holding means being movable between operative and inoperative positions,

(d) intermediate holding means interposed between said first holding means adapted to hold the member to be bent and movable between operative and inoperative positions,

(e) means supporting said intermediate holding means for movement transverse to the length of a member to be bent,

(f) actuating means for said holding means mounted upon said frame adapted to simultaneously position said first and intermediate holding means between said operative and inoperative positions, and

(g) power actuated means mounted on said frame and dispose-d adjacent said intermediate holding means adapted to transversely displace said intermediate holding means.

5. In a bending press for elongated members as in claim 4 wherein:

(a) said means supporting said intermediate holding means includes an annular member, and

(b) spring means mounted upon said frame resiliently fioatingly supporting said annular member for transverse movement relative to the length of a member to be bent located within said first holding means.

6. In a bending press for elongated members as in claim 5:

(a) means mounted on said frame supporting said power actuated means for rotative movement about said annular member, said power actuated means operatively engaging said annular member to transversely displace said intermediate holding means.

7. In a bending press for elongated members comprising, in combination,

(a) a frame,

(b) a pair of spaced supporting members mounted upon said frame,

(c) first holding means for the elongated member to be bent mounted upon each of said supporting members, said holding means being movable between operative and inoperative positions,

(d) an intermediate holding means support interposed between said spaced supporting members,

(e) intermediate holding means mounted upon said intermediate holding means support and movable between operative and inoperative positions adapted to engage and hold the member to be bent intermediate said first holding means,

(f) means mounting said intermediate holding means support upon said frame for movement transverse to the length of a member to be bent positioned within said holding means,

(g) power actuated means disposed adjacent said intermediate holding means support adapted to selectively transversely displace said support,

(h) means rotatably mounting said power actuated means on said frame for rotative movement about said intermediate holding means support in a plane transversely disposed to the length of a member to be bent positioned within said holding means, and

(i) index means maintaining said power actuated means in a predetermined relationship to said intermediate holding means support during actuation of said power actuated means to transversely displace said intermediate holding means support.

8. In a bending press as in claim 7 wherein:

(a) actuating means for said holding means are associated with said first and intermediate holding means for selectively positioning said holding means between the operative and inoperative positions, and

(b) power operated means operatively connected to said actuating means for said holding means simultaneously operating said actuating means.

9. In a bending press as in claim 7 wherein:

(a) said intermediate holding means support is annular in configuration and includes a cylindrical peripheral surface, and

(b) said power actuated means comprises an expansible motor having a piston member adapted to engage said cylindrical peripheral surface.

10. In a bending press as in claim 7 wherein:

(a) gauge means are associated with said intermediate holding means support sensing the transverse displacement thereof by said power actuated means.

11. In a bending press as in claim '7 wherein:

(a) a pair of spaced supporting means for the elongated rnember to be bent are mounted in said frame on each side of said intermediate holding means support,

(b) holding means mounted upon each of said spaced supporting means movable between operative and inoperative positions whereby the member to be bent is supported at two spaced locations on each side of said intermediate holding means.

12. A bending press comprising, in combination,

(a) a frame,

(b) a pair of spaced supporting members mounted upon said frame,

(c) supporting means for the elongated member to be bent defined on each of said support members, (d) first holding means for the elongated member to be bent mounted upon each of said supporting means, said holding means being movable between operative and inoperative positions,

(e) a movable holding means support mounted upon said frame in alignment with said first holding means,

(f) second holding means for the elongated member to be bent mounted upon said movable holding means support movable between operative and inoperative positions,

(g) means mounting said movable holding means support on said frame for movement transverse to the length of a member to be bent positioned within said holding means,

(h) power actuated means disposed adjacent said holding means support adapted to selectively transversely displace said movable support,

(i) means rotatably mounting said power actuated means on said frame for rotative movement about said holding means support in a plane transversely disposed to the length of a member to be bent positioned within said holding means, and

(j) means maintaining said power actuated means in the desired relationship to said movable holding means support during actuation of said power actuated means to transversely displace said movable holding means support.

13. In a bending press as in claim 12 wherein:

(a) actuating means for said holding means are associated with said first and second holding means for selectively positioning said holding means between the operative and inoperative positions, and

(b) p'ower operated means operatively connected to said actuating means for said holding means simultaneously operating said actuating means,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT-S 1,079,442 11/ 1918 Ruthledge 72389 1,337,587 4/1920 Bennett 72-389 1,837,040 12/1931 Gross 72-389 2,936,660 5/ 1960 Snow 72-447 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

35 L.- A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner; 

1. A BENDING PRESS FOR ELONGATED MEMBERS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED SUPPORT MEMBERS, (B) SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE ELONGATED MEMBER TO BE BENT DEFINED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, (C) INTERMEDIATE SUPPORTING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE ELONGATED MEMBER TO BE BENT INTERMEDIATE SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, (D) MEANS SUPPORTING SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF A MEMBER TO BE BENT SUPPORTED UPON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, (E) POWER ACTUATED MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED TO TRANSVERSELY DISPLACE SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORTING MEANS, AND (F) MEANS MOUNTING SAID POWER ACTUATED MEANS FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID INTERMEDIATE DISPLACEMENT OF WHEREBY THE DIRECTION OF TRANSVERSE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORTING MEANS BY SAID POWER ACTUATED MEANS MAY BE VARIED. 